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Hurray, a mystery solved. And the winner is ....
#3: son of John Gelling & Margaret Caroon bp 8 Nov 1767 Braddan.

John Gelling md Margaret Caroon 28 Feb 1767 Braddan. He was the eldest son bp 4 Oct 1741 Marown s/o John Gelling & Ann Fayle, who were also the parents of Robert Gelling (1753-1815 Marown) Schoolmaster of Marown 40 years and subject of discussion here in the past. Connections to Gellings of Ballamillaghyn, Braddan. The JG who married Margaret Caroon was buried 2 June 1822 and he was of Ballacaine, Braddan. See his transcribed will.

His eldest son was John bp 8 Nov 1767 Braddan, and he fits well for age to be the one who was buried 23 Sep 1837 age 69, who is the JG who married Isabella Cavendish 18 Nov 1788. His son William is ancestor of Marg Skillicorn of this BB.

John & Isabella's eldest son was yet another John (of course!) bp 28 Feb 1790 Braddan. He matches well to be the JG bd 14 May 1843 Braddan age 53.

Donna Douglass recently sent me the following MI:
Braddan Old Yard North
292
Sacred to the memory of JOHN GELLING of Ballacaine in this parish commonly called Ballacorroon, house builder in Douglas for upwards of 20 years who departed this life on the 12th of May 1843 aged 54 years
Reader tread softly o'er departed worth
The man that's beneath his native earth
Its surgace with his genius did adorn
And more than relatives for him did mourn
Because such geniuses as he were rare
His actions like his work upright and fair
And all good men who could true merit see
said Mona seldom loses such a man

The fact that he was also from Ballacaine, combined with perfect matches for ages of the 2 generations, is strong evidence I think of a connection. It would help if we could determine John & Isabella were also of Ballacaine, but that's missing so far.

The John 1790-1843 may have been the end of the line. I can't find him in 1841 and can't find Ballacaine either. Maybe those pages are missing? I don't know if he married, had a family or was single. The 1851 family at Ballacaine (hard to read, maybe Thomas "Hampton" 43 farmer b Braddan and wife Ann 55 b Patrick & family) isn't familiar to me.

I hope this is useful. It solves a long-standing dilemma for me.

Eric